Drabbles
by Truths and Endgames
Summary: Written for the 30 Days of Writing Challenge on Tumblr. Mostly Makorra, may include other pairings. #18: "He surrounded her, dragging her down every time she got close to peeling back the layer of ice, melting one piece of snow, breaking the surface of the frozen tundra."
1. Beginning

Beginning

He thought she was just another one of Bolin's fangirls- to be discarded like a piece of trash the next day by a very satisfied earthbender.

Then, she was the teammate who screwed up the game, but later came back from the danger zone (literally) to save both him and his brother, who, God knows, had no chance of winning on their own.

After she helped save Bolin from Amon, he started thinking of her as something more- not just a teammate, but a friend.

He found Asami, though, and she was quickly dumped from his mind. It was now the raven-tressed, sophisticated beauty who occupied his every thought, not the reckless, tomboy-ish Avatar.

When she kissed him, every thought of Asami was expelled from his head, and all he could was how _it felt so right._

Then the arena was attacked, and she went from thought-consuming, frustrating, stunning teammate/Avatar/friend to someone who very much needed a hug. But she also became his hero, for risking her life to protect the very people who had just cheated her out of the championship.

When he threatened her with their friendship, she fell off of her pedestal in his mind. She was harassing his girlfriend, and he knew it was out of jealousy.

(Maybe it wasn't, he decided, after she told him Asami needed him more, offered them all rooms at Air Temple Island, forgave him for blackmailing her, and was right about Hiroshi. She got her pedestal back.)

When she was kidnapped, he lost his mind with worry, and thought, if he could never see the beautiful, wild, strong girl again, he might just die.

Then, she came back, and everything was right in the world. But he noticed something in his feelings towards Asami, something that felt wrong.

Her bending was lost, but she still kept her elevated place in his mind. Even without her bending, she was the most loyal, brave, selfless person he had ever known, and he couldn't imagine his life without her.

She got her bending back, and when he saw her in midair, eyes glowing, manipulating the elements she so perfectly embodied, he knew that he loved her.

(He had already told her, but every time he saw her, his heart confirmed it yet again.)

When she says_ I love you, too_, he knows that the reckless, tomboy-ish, thought-consuming, frustrating, stunning, jealous (not), beautiful, wild, strong, loyal, brave, selfless fangirl (not)/teammate/friend/Avatar/hero/girl/person/love was perfect for him from the beginning, even if he couldn't always see it.


	2. Accusation

**AN: Thanks to everyone who read the story. You guys are much appreciated, and I would love it if you could review as well. Thank you so much.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Korra or Avatar the Last Airbender- that is all Bryke.**

2. Accusation

"How dare you accuse me of eating your dumpling, Bolin!"

Mako sighs as he pushes open the door to the apartment in the newly fixed arena. He should have known that taking the last dumpling before he left to go grocery shopping was a mistake, especially with his brother and girlfriend left at home.

"How dare I? HOW DARE I? HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY DUMPLING," Bolin shouts, voice full of accusation.

Korra huffs indignantly, and turns on her heel, only to find her boyfriend amusedly watching the two argue over the missing dumpling.

"Hey, Cool Guy, tell your brother that I didn't steal his stupid dumpling," she complains.

He chuckles and walks over, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Love you, too, Korra," he murmurs into her ear, and then looks up to face his brother, his very, very, angry brother.

"Look, Bo- I took your dumpling before I left, but-," he starts

"WHAT! You took my dumpling," Bolin screeches.

"Wait, Bo, let me finish. But I hope this makes up for it," Mako grins, pulling the previously concealed box of dumplings from behind him.

After handing over the box to one very, very happy brother, he turns again to see Korra glaring at him.

"What," he asks.

"I cannot believe that you left me here all day to deal with his inevitable temper tantrum," she seethes.

"Sorry, Korra, but we were out of food, and I needed sustenance for the grocery trip."

She looks down, but as he walks away, she whispers from behind him-

"But, yes, I love you, Mako."

**AN: Please review. It makes my day.**


	3. Restless

**AN: Thanks for the views, guys. But seriously, over a hundred hits, and not a single review. I really want to know how I'm doing. Remember, this is my first fanfic. Please review. It makes me feel so good. Anyways, I don't know how I feel about that ending, but here is number 3. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

Restless

It was the full moon, and Korra was restless. She kept tossing and turning in her bed. Eventually, she gave in to the pull of the water, and started towards the beach. Through the darkness, she could make out someone sitting on the beach, staring up at the stars.

"Mako?"

He turns, a soft smile gracing his face as he took her in, tussled pajamas mixed with a very obvious case of bed head. She was beautiful.

"Hey. I was waiting for you. I knew you'd be out here tonight."

She doesn't ask. They have been going out for a month, but he can read her as if they had known each other for centuries. He knows everything about her, and she loves it.

She reaches for his outstretched hand, and settles down next to him on the golden sand. She is still uneasy, anxious, but his presence makes it loads easier for her. The full moon always unsettles her, and she has yet to decide whether that is a good thing or a bad thing.

But here, sitting next to Mako, their fingers entwined, and their bodies not more than 2 inches apart, she feels relaxed. More so than she has in a long time, full moon or not.

And she realizes, maybe the water is calling out to her, pulling on her, but Mako will always pull harder. He is the magnet she has been waiting for, watching for. He is the yin to her yang, the Tui to her La, the sun to her moon. Suddenly, she isn't restless anymore.

For the rest of their lives, whenever the moon is full, she quietly thanks him. He never finds out why.

**AN: Please, please review.**


	4. Snowflake

**AN: Thanks for the review. Emphasis on review. Not reviews, review. I would really appreciate it if someone would take the time to talk about the writing, because this is my first fanfiction, and I really want to know whether or not to keep writing. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK or AtLA.**

4. Snowflake

After a few days of freezing his butt off inside Korra's house in the South Pole, Mako finally felt ready to venture out of the safe (warm) haven, and into the great white unknown. He finds her sitting on the perch outside of Katara's house, looking expectantly at the sky.

"What are you doing," he inquires hesitantly, not wanting to get dragged into anything too adventurous.

She grins at him, patting the spot next to her eagerly, "It's supposed to snow later, and I wanted to plan properly, so that we have enough time for penguin sledding before it gets too bad. But, since you're out now, I guess we can leave."

He momentarily looks scared, and then she loses sight of his face, as he is lagging behind her while she sprints to a hill not far away. When they get there, he spots little creatures-penguins, she called them- waddling around without any apparent purpose.

"These are called penguin-seals, Mako," she explains, already searching her parka for an elusive object. When she pulls out a raw fish, and sticks it in his face, he is already backing away in the general direction of the village.

"Oh, no," she states, "You are not getting out of this that easily."

With that, she shoves the fish in his hand, and pushes him towards the penguin seals. After a few unsuccessful attempts at reining in one, he manages to catch a rather large one. He turns and sees that she has already roped one in, and is waiting for him. She shows him how to ride it properly, and then pushes the penguin-seal down the hill, with her in hot pursuit.

She whoops in pleasure, as they coast down the incline, clearly enjoying herself in a childhood pursuit that she spent entirely too little time in. When they reach the bottom, he tumbles off his roughly, and she slips gracefully off hers.

"See, City Boy, that wasn't so bad, was it."

He only murmurs in assent, too busy in brushing the snow off him to pay too much attention.

"And anyways, I like seeing you covered in snow, and wearing a parka," she whispers. He looks up, not expecting a shy response from her. When she steps closer to kiss a snowflake off his nose, he understands. "It reminds me that you're here for me. Because you love me."

"That I do," he replies, caught up in her close proximity. "That I do, Korra."

**AN: I don't know how I feel about this one. Please review.**


	5. Haze

**AN: Thanks for reading/reviewing. Please continue. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

5. Haze

Bolin entered the apartment, his signature strut amplified by the news that was ready to tumble off his tongue. Although his brother was conspicuously absent, he didn't think too much of it. After grabbing a dumpling to eat (he did need a congratulatory snack, and he was a _growing boy, _after all), he peeked into Mako's room to check where the missing firebender was. Not finding him there, he checked the closet, bathroom, and all other places where he could be.

"Must be with Korra," Bolin whispered to Pabu. That being said, Bolin dashed down to the gym to look for the Avatar or her boyfriend. They had been going out for a while now, and were constantly going off together, leaving Bolin to either stay behind or tag along as the awkward third wheel.

He didn't have to wait long to find them, as he realized upon arriving at the gym door.

"Oh, crap. They're going at it again," he thought. Having been trapped between the two before while they were duking it out, Bolin wanted nothing to do with this. However, it was his duty as their teammate/friend/brother to help mediate Korra and Mako's arguments.

"I cannot believe you let her touch you like that," Korra screamed.

Bolin sighed. This was another fangirl/boy argument. Every time an admirer got too close to either Mako or Korra, the other one would blow up. It was an ongoing argument, and one that exhausted Bolin to no end. This time seemed especially bad, as the stench of burnt hair was clear.

"It's not that big of a deal, Korra," Mako retaliated, "It's not like I like her or anything. She's just a fangirl that got too confident."

"Not a big deal, Mako. NOT A BIG DEAL! She kissed you, for Spirit's sake! Every time some guy gets too touchy-feely with me, it's alright for you to go all mean firebender on them, but every time a girl gets too close to you, it's _not a big deal_. I cannot believe you," she punctuated this with a thud that, presumably, was Mako getting earthbended. The thud of someone getting knocked against the wall followed. Bolin decided that enough was enough, and divine intervention was needed, in the form of an amazingly hot earthbender.

Slamming open the door, he yelled, "Hey, guys, guess what! I got accepted into the Metalbending Academy, and Chief Beifong said she wants to-"

Mako had Korra pushed up against the wall, her legs wrapped around his waist, both sporting singed hair (or in Mako's case, eyebrows), kissing like their lives depended on it. Bolin let out a noise that sounded something like a strangled cat, and both jumped apart. They seemed to have trouble recognizing Bolin through the haze of lust and rage. He turned and exited the gym, as red in the face as Tenzin when angry. That was most certainly _not_ how he envisioned the day going.


	6. Flame

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews. They make me feel great about my writing. Please continue. Anyways, I had some writer's block, so I decided to use a different character, and this is what came out. Please tell me if it was good or not, I have never really written Asami/Irosami.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK or AtLA.**

6. Flame

Asami was drawn like a moth to a flame. She wasn't a bender, but if she was, fire would have been her element. She loved the heartbeat pulsating in the glow, the inherent control that firebenders had, the way fire could be used destructively, but could also bring joy and peace and _life. _Yes, Asami was definitely drawn to flames.

When she watched Pro-bending matches, it was always the firebender that drew her attention. Even though the flames in this setting were restrained, they were still gorgeous and elegant and _alive._ Asami found herself wishing, not for the first time, that she could summon that red glow to her palms, that she could breathe flames as easily as oxygen.

Then, she met Mako. She crashed into him on her motorbike, not even knowing that he was a firebender. But when she got to know him, she felt safe. She felt like the flames she loved were protecting her from the harsh realities of the world that hadn't yet turned on her.

When Korra accused her father of being an Equalist, Asami was furious. She had steam coming out of hers, and she wished yet again that she were a firebender. She wanted to fight Korra, for her boyfriend (Asami was no fool, she had seen the glances), for her family's honor, and for the sake of being a firebender. But Korra was right, so Asami kept her feelings to herself. And when Korra offered her a place to live, and sent Mako back to her, Asami couldn't help but be happy.

Then, Korra was captured, and Mako lost his mind. Asami could see it clearly: the flames of Korra and Mako's relationship were bright and lively and dancing and powerful, but the flames of her and Mako's relationship were weak and forced and dull. Not how fire was meant to be. She knew then that the firebender was wrong for her.

But, Asami then met Iroh. She had long known that her boyfriend was a lost cause, and she wished that he would pull his act together and tell Korra how he felt. She and Korra were friends, and the Avatar would never hurt her by cheating with Mako. So, when Asami met the other firebender, she was drawn to him. He was strong and controlled, but underneath his calm demeanor, he had the passion of a dragon. His firebending could take down planes- of course, he had learned from Firelord Zuko, so it was expected that his firebending would contain the secrets of the sun.

After the war ended, and Korra and Mako had finally gotten together, Asami found herself spending more and more time with the General. He would eventually become Firelord- protector of the eternal flame- but for right now he was Iroh and she was Asami. He was the flame, and she was the moth. He attracted her, and she was drawn to him. And, Asami began to think that maybe the attraction wasn't to the flame itself, but for the person who symbolized all of its qualities and more.


	7. Formal

**AN: Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews. They really help me, so please continue. Anyways, I don't think I like this chapter much. I had writer's block, so I just used a really overdone idea. Sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

7. Formal

The new Team Avatar was being required to attend a ball in celebration of the end of the war, and, as the heroes, they all had to dress up nicely. For Asami, it was no problem, as her entire wardrobe was intact, and she owned countless dressed. Mako and Bolin also didn't have a tough time getting formal clothes. All the shop owners in Republic City were more than willing to have their goods worn by the fabulous bending brothers.

Korra, however, was a different matter entirely. She owned a single, solitary dress, and she had already worn it to Tarrlok's party for her, and, according to Asami and Pema, she couldn't wear it again. It would be scandalous. So, the Avatar was subjected to a day of shopping with the heiress and weary mother, who were both delighted to be out for a day on the (now mending) town. They popped in and out of countless stores, going over racks and racks of dresses. Korra grew so frustrated that they had to buy a bag of fire flakes just to keep her calm.

Eventually, they stumbled upon the perfect sheath somewhere at the end of the circle of Republic City that the ladies had taken. It is midnight blue, floor length, and one shoulder with a white belt leading into a ruffled skirt. It would be easy to fight in, but is elegant and stunning at the same time. Korra is speechless, which leaves everyone else in the room at a loss for words.

They bring the dress back home, and stash it in a secret place. No one is allowed to see the concoction before the big night. So when Korra emerges from her room on that day, dress on, hair in an updo with a few strands curling around her face, earrings, bangles, and a clutch adorning her, no one quite knows what to say. She is beautiful, and so different from _Korra_ that it is hard to believe they are the same.

When the men and women meet up at the front of the island, Mako doesn't realize that the ethereal beauty floating towards him is his Korra. He doesn't realize it when she pecks his cheek gently, he doesn't realize it when she interlocks elbows with him, he doesn't realize when she glides-not trips, glides- in the heels Asami picked out for her, onto the boat. He, however, does realize it when she slaps him upside the head and tells him to shut his yapper and stop staring at her.

He smiles on the inside. This _is_ his Korra, even though she is all fancy and formal. After all, no one can truly alter the Avatar. She, like the world she so perfectly portrays, is gorgeous and unattainable and bigger than he can perceive and solid. She is Korra, and he loves her.

**AN: Please review.**


	8. Companion

**AN: Thanks for reading and reviewing, everyone. Please continue.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

8. Companion

Asami needed a companion for her matchmaking scheme. Although she was usually one to avoid interfering in other people's lives, this time it was undeniable how much her help was needed. The two had been dancing around each other for 3 years- or, at least since Jinora came of age. Bolin had had nothing but platonic feelings for the airbender until her 16th birthday, when she was presented to the world as a woman. From then, the flirting, tension, and obvious love had gone unrequited, and Asami was sick of it.

It turned out that Korra was more than willing to knock some sense into the pair, so the two banded together to form a decent plan. They ended up with one that involved Ikki, Oogi, several turtle ducks (Korra's idea), and three racecar drivers complete with Satomobiles. When the girls tried to explain their plan to Mako, he got incredibly confused, but Ikki completely understood what was being asked of her.

Several hours, two very wet benders, and nine frightened turtle ducks later, Asami and Korra were apologizing profusely to Pema for ruining her garden and to Bolin and Jinora for soaking them. Once the apologies were over, the girls returned to their room to develop another scheme to get the two together.

After everyone exited, Jinora turned to Bolin.

"When do you think they're going to realize that we've been together for two and a half years," she questioned, shaking her head at the obliviousness of everyone around them.

"I don't know. It's not like we've been keeping it a secret. You're always looking at me, and me at you, and we are always super close together and laughing over something or the other," Bolin said, inching closer to his secret girlfriend.

"Hmmm, well they have to realize it when we tell them that we're getting married," Jinora mused, turning to wrap her arms around Bolin's neck, as he did the same to her waist.

"Yeah, I suppose that the ring on your finger won't stay secret forever. But I am actually surprised that they haven't noticed it in the past year."

"Whatever," Jinora whispered in his ear. "Just as long as they don't expect us to break up, I am fine with anything."

As it turned out, no one realized that the two were together until two months later, when they shocked Tenzin and the rest of the group by announcing their engagement. At the wedding a year later, both Asami and Korra claimed responsibility for the relationship, to the amusement of both the bride and the groom.


	9. Move

**AN: Thanks for reading and for all the reviews. Please continue. This one may be a little bit on the T side.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

9. Move

After Mako and Korra moved into their new apartment, along with the help of Asami, Bolin, and the airbenders, all they wanted was a moment alone together to relish their new home. The packing and unpacking and designing and decorating and housewarming had left the two thoroughly exhausted.

Korra collapsed on the couch, right where Mako was sitting. He quirked up an eyebrow at the sight of the Avatar splayed across his lap, eyes closed and fingers rubbing her temples.

"Everything okay," he inquires, the mirth in his voice all too evident.

She turns and glares at him, "Just fine, City Boy. Since I was the one who had to do all of the actual work in this move, I think I am entitled to a little bit of relaxation."

"Excuse me," he scoffs, affronted at her accusation. "I helped out quite a bit. Who do you think packed and unpacked all of the boxes, moved them safely, and picked out an apartment that might actually last?"

Korra laughs, clutching her stomach and shaking with joy, until she realizes he isn't joking. A highly doubtful look paints itself over her features.

"I am the one who did everything," she sneers.

"Yeah, that's likely," Mako drawls, now immersed in the newspaper in his hands. "Because you have always been just so responsible and orderly."

She frowns for a moment, and then her eyes light up with an idea.

"I have an idea," she starts, hands tangling in Mako's scarf. He looks up at her with suspicion- it's one of her many seduction tactics. "Since we have already agreed not to call this a home until we have, ahem, christened every room in the apartment, why don't we add another little bit in?"

He squints in confusion, eyes widening once he realizes where this is going, "You sure that's a good idea, Korra," Mako asks, wary of her "master plans".

"Yeah, I'm positive," she beams. "Once we have done it in every room, whoever was on top the most wins this argument. Oh, man! I am a genius!"

Mako decides to let this one slide, and agrees to the plan only after much convincing from his girlfriend.

In the end, Mako ends up winning, only because it's his birthday when they try out the living room, dining room, and kitchen, so Korra gives in and lets him win.


	10. Silver

**AN: So I wrote this really late, but I thought it might be okay. It's kind of a companion to number 8, which is about how Jinora and Bolin broke the news. Anyways, thanks for the reviews and for reading, and feel free to PM or put prompts in reviews, as this is open for prompts. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

10. Silver

Jinora had never been called stupid- or, for that matter, dumb, ignorant, foolish, understudied, or illiterate. She could clearly see what was in front of her for what it was, and she prided herself on being able to understand ideas that most people older than her couldn't.

However, when her boyfriend started acting very suspiciously- to everyone else, at least- she didn't notice a thing. So caught up in her books was Jinora, that when Bolin came home late on a regular basis, started sneaking spoons to practice on out of the kitchen, and would stutter, blush, and fumble whatever he was doing when she spoke to him, she didn't even notice.

Bolin, on the other hand, was nervous about everything his girlfriend, from the book she was reading to the time she woke up in the morning. He had been planning on proposing in the perfect way for months now, or at least since Iroh had worked up the nerve to ask Asami to marry him. Since the general was way more reserved than Bolin, the earthbender had decided to try it on Jinora as well.

He had been practicing making the ring from the various spoons that he had stolen from the kitchen. A block of silver sat waiting for him to be ready, and he just wanted to make sure that the offering was as perfect as she. Bolin had also gone out and bought, with the help of Korra, three gems- one green and the other two pure white. He figured that once the ring was formed, he could attach the stones to it, the emerald-which was also largest-in the center, and the two diamonds flanking it.

When the night finally came, Bolin was able to distract Jinora from her reading and airbending long enough to lead her down to the beach on Air Temple Island. There, he had set up a table covered with a silk cloth, covered in rose petals and candles. The food that he had convinced Mako to whip up was also resting on the table set for two. Jinora sat down gingerly, raising her eyebrows at the extravagance of the affair. The full moon shone brightly, and the waterbender in Jinora-from Gran-gran- loved the white light shining down on the water. She thought this was just another date that her boyfriend was taking her on, albeit a rather fancy one.

But, Bolin surprised her by kneeling down in front of her once the meal was completed, and taking the most beautiful ring she had ever seen out of his pocket. With wide eyes and mouth that was covered by her hands in complete shock, Jinora could only nod out an answer before her tears overflowed and she pounced on Bolin.

"I'll take that as a yes," he quipped, promptly receiving a blow to the shoulder for his trouble.

"Aren't you going to put the ring on, you idiot," she choked once the tears had subsided. "That's the whole point of me saying yes."

Bolin slid the circle onto her delicate fingers, reveling at the sight of his handiwork resting on his fiancée's hand. The silver really did go well with her outfit. He was glad that he had listened to Lin, for once. Not to mention, it was easily available, so if he messed up, there was always more at hand.

**AN: Thanks for reading. Please review- it makes me so happy.**


	11. Prepared

**AN: So I know that this is a day late, but forgive me. I had horrible writer's block, and I have been super caught up in dance rehearsals. Anyways, please review. I don't think I like this one much, but don't hesitate to tell me what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK or AtLA. **

11. Prepared

No one was ever exactly sure what Bumi would do at any given time, so they gave up on trying to figure out anything about the wildman. At first, Lin protested this lack of preparation for defense against his schemes, but after fending off many pranks alone, and thoroughly exhausting herself as a result, she gave up. After all, one kick-ass metalbender could only do so much against a mad genius.

However, when a week passed with no shenanigans- no screaming Tenzin, no hysterically laughing Aang, no furious Katara- Lin became suspicious. Bumi was not one to be trusted. He needed to be monitored, supervised, and denied resources. He was dangerous, and Lin did not believe for a second that he wasn't dreaming up some crazy scheme.

She would sneak up on him in his room, just to see whether or not he was building crazy monstrosities, in order to attack his family. He was not. She eavesdropped on his conversations, trying to deduce whether or not he was ordering outlandish materials which could be used against her. He was not. She would go through his room, combing the place from top to bottom, to make sure nothing suspicious was lurking in dark corners. There was nothing. In fact, all Lin managed to learn was that he had developed a penchant for doing hot squats in his room at odd hours, he was planning on meeting someone near the military barracks on Saturday, and he had begun practicing with his sword more and more, going so far as to store it underneath his mattress.

The whole week, Lin was going insane trying to figure out Bumi's master plan. She even took time off from work to brainstorm possible scenarios. Lin _never_ took time off from work. Everyone was worried about Lin, and were too caught up in that to be cautious of Bumi.

So when Bumi approached the family, plus Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki, Aunt Toph and Lin, and Uncle Zuko, Aunt Mai, and the family, carrying nothing but a small duffle bag, and his trusty sword, he caught everybody's attention. The most noticeable thing, however, was the fact that his garb consisted of the uniform of the United Forces.

When he broke the news to everybody that he was joining the army, just to prove to himself and everyone else, that he could be great without being a bender, the whole group was in a state of shock. First, to hear Bumi, who was a proud boomerang, sword, and martial arts master, say that he needed to prove himself as a nonbender was weird enough. But to hear that he was joining the army threw everyone off. Not Lin, however.

She strode up to him, and gave him a piece of her mind for leaving her. When she finished her spiel, Lin started sobbing, and threw herself onto Bumi, crying about how he was leaving her. For Lin, who was normally reserved and never cried, this was strange; to those who knew her best- Bumi and her mother- they knew that she was going to miss him like hell. She was certainly not prepared for him leaving, and he was not prepared to have to deal with a hysterical Lin. Sure, a crying Katara, sniffling Aang, confused Tenzin, and jubilant Kya was one thing, but Lin. Oh well. She'd be Tenzin's problem in a week.


	12. Knowledge

**AN: I know this is a day late, and it sucks major ass, but please review anyways. I already told you about the writer's block/horrible story suckishness that has been plaguing me lately, but I hope this doesn't make you want to throw up at least. Thanks.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK**

12. Knowledge

It was no secret that Jinora loved knowledge. She devoured it, poring over every book on Air Temple Island, as well as the myriad libraries in Republic City. The young airbending master, having recently received her tattoos, loved to learn, and that was a fact.

When Pema was younger, she was eerily similar to Jinora. Same color hair tucked into the same style bun. Same quiet, calm demeanor. Same thirst for knowledge that sometimes led to affected social skills. She would sit in the library for hours on end, getting so lost in the words that she would skip sleeping and eating.

The young Air Acolyte was often discovered this way by Master Tenzin; she was so caught up in whatever literary piece she was studying that she usually didn't even notice the airbender staring at her. When Pema was younger, it was a gaze filled with tenderness and compassion, but as she grew older –probably around sixteen- the gaze was filled with less softness, and more lust and passion. As always, the teenager failed to observe the change in the man's stare.

However, she did realize her own feelings. She hung her neck out there, and told him how she felt, no matter the consequences. One day, while she was reading quietly in the library, Tenzin came in. They had long since given up formalities, and were on such good terms that the Acolyte found it comfortable to partake in debates with Tenzin, where her peers refused to even look him in the eye. He knelt down in front of her, finally able to pry her eyes off of the scroll in her lap.

"Pema," he sighed, not knowing where to begin. "You have been a very good friend for many years, but lately I have begun to notice that it isn't what I want."

Her eyes widened in shock, brimming with sadness at the loss of a friend, "Oh, Tenzin, did I do something wrong? Is it because I told you how I feel? Did I-,"

She was cut off by the flustered master, blushing furiously at the thought of articulating what was speeding through his mind. "No, you did nothing wrong. In fact, everything you have done is right. _So _right. And I have been noticing lately something different when I look at you. It's sort of like what I used to feel for Lin, only magnified to be much, much stronger. Pema, I love you, too."

Tenzin glanced up at her, the earnest yearning in his eyes shining alongside the love he felt. She knelt down beside him, and kissed him. She knew her love of reading would come in handy some day.


	13. Denial

**AN: Super short, but I hope you all like it. Thanks, and please review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

13. Denial

For the longest time, he was in denial over how he felt. The racing heart, the sweaty palms, the shallow breaths- they all were put in the "Not About Korra" category, and were freaked over after the Avatar left his presence. He refused to believe that something so inane as a _girl_ could make him worry about whether or not his hair looked good, and if he was being too hard on her in practice, and why she was saying this and doing this. Mako, Mr. Cool-Under-Fire himself, was stressing about a girl, and a girl as ungirly as Korra, at that.

The feelings lessened slightly when he met Asami. The raven-haired beauty stunned him, infatuated him, comforted him. He had never known anyone who was rich, much less a rich person who took a liking to him, and knowing that someone in the world could take care of Bolin if he was gone, that idea comforted him.

But when Korra kissed him –gosh, he had never, _ever _felt like that kissing Asami. It was so amazing, and it felt perfect and just so _right _that he was momentarily awed. The fact that someone else could make him feel warm inside, and Mako was not one for sentimentality, stunned him, and he immediately craved, searched for that in what he had for Asami.

When he blamed Korra for being jealous, even after she had risked her life to save everyone in the arena at the championship, even after she had offered him and Bolin a place to live, Mako actually thought for a second that he could even consider the thought of ending their friendship. He threatened her with those words, and when she retaliated by stating her duty to the world as the Avatar, he found that he was jealous that the world took precedence over him in her mind. But, he growled in his mind, that's _wrong. _No way is some street rat more important than the entire world, and all of its inhabitants.

At the time of Korra's kidnapping, all thoughts of Asami were erased from his head. He needed his Korra back, and it had to be now. It didn't even surprise him that he had started calling Korra _his_ in his mind. Mako wished for nothing more than to be able to call Korra his- hell, even to see her face once more would be the only thing he would ever ask for again.

However, this was quickly proven wrong when Korra lost her bending. All he wanted was for her to regain it, and when she did, he was thankful. Thankful for her, for her love, for her bending, and for her happiness. And he was in denial no longer.


	14. Wind

**AN: Sorry for the really late update, but I have been really busy lately. I hope to get back on track with my updating, but sorry anyways. Anyways, enjoy and review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

14. Wind

He could feel it on the wind. It was changing, bringing hints of something new, something different, something that Tenzin could feel would change him. For the past twenty years, he had been infatuated with Lin Beifong, and the winds knew that. They brought the scent of earth, and the tang of metal. They swept past him with whispers of love in the beginning and trouble in the end. They rejoiced with him after the first kiss, and they comforted him after the first fight.

However, that familiar feel of earth and metal and trouble was now disappearing, being replaced by something lighter. Something that felt of air that wasn't air and unrequited love and gentleness. It seemed that whenever Pema, one of the Air Acolytes, walked by, that new taste would float by on the wind. Oblivious as Tenzin was, he was confused as to what it meant.

His father, Avatar Aang, could also feel the shift in the air currents. Although he didn't get the same hints as Tenzin did, he could feel his son's confusion on the wind. He could recognize the flavors that he once tasted long back. Tenzin was going through the same diemma as he had when Aang had met Katara. The Avatar's son was falling in love.

Although Aang loved Lin- he treated her like a daughter, and loved her just as if she was his own- he knew from the beginning that her and Tenzin were doomed. The adults would exchange sad glances as the relationship developed, not wanting to interfere, but knowing all the same that it was never going to work out. They wanted to save their children the pain- oh, they wanted to _so bad-_ but Lin and Tenzin needed to learn for themselves.

When Pema told Tenzin she loved him, obvious to all but the airbender, the winds picked up once again. They played with hope and joy, but at the same time carried the burden of betrayal. He didn't want to betray Lin, not after a whole lifetime together, but he knew it had to be done. For him, for Lin, and for Pema. It was fair to none of them.

When Tenzin broke up with Lin, they cheered. The air was now rejoicing, dancing with he leaves, and singing to all those who could hear. It whistled as it sped by, and refreshed those caught up in the dreary Earth Kingdom summer.

When Tenzin told Pema, the wind calmed down. Of course, it still celebrated, dancing and singing and humming just like always, but there was no use in staying giddy over something that would last forever. However, the winds no longer signaled change. Instead, they hinted at forever and always and perfection, and Tenzin was perfectly happy the way they were.


	15. Order

**AN: Two in one day! Haha, that actually sucks because I am about 8 days behind schedule. Anyways...I don't know what to think about this. Inspiration struck, but this isn't very good. Please review though, and tell me what you thought!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

15. Order

Iroh loved order in his life. Hell, he had even joined the military- it was known for it's organization skills. He loved the way it was always so easy when things were in order. He never had to work too hard to get it back on track if it was where it should be. What _it_ was varied from the time to the place to the situation.

However, when he came to Republic City's aid, he found a young woman whose life had lost all order. She was drowning in chaos and betrayal and grief. She had lost a father, a lifestyle, and her boyfriend was soon to go as well. She was raised rich and pampered, but never spoiled, and now was on the streets, fighting a war, surrounded by destruction.

He ached when he saw her looking at her boyfriend (oh, did that title make him jealous), so perfect with Korra without realizing it, the pain apparent in her eyes. He cried privately for her as she cried over her father. He hated when she had to face the public and pick up the pieces of her life all alone.

He respected how she could maintain order even throughout all of the hell that the Spirits had decided to put her through. If he were put in her position, no way would he be able to remain that composed, only shedding a single tear after all of the grief she had gone through. It was impossible, but she did it. He wanted to be like her.

* * *

Asami loved order in her life. She loved mechanics- how everything had a place and it was so easy to keep it orderly. She loved her father- the linchpin in her neat and tidy life. She loved how it was so easy to pick up the pieces when there was a specific spot for those pieces to go back to.

When her life crumbled, sending her straight into the pits of hell, suffocating in sorrow and despair and chaos, she found it _oh so hard_ to maintain order. How was she supposed to pick up the pieces when she couldn't even find the courage to look at how many there were. How could she possibly restore her life when the past had betrayed her so horribly.

She looked at Mako and Korra, and felt not anger or sadness, but betrayal (only in minor doses) and pity. She wanted them to get together, but she missed what she and Mako had been faking. She wanted love, albeit real, and passion, and someone to return her life to it's proper neatness and tidiness.

She broke when her father called ungrateful and insolent. He had gotten so lost in the revenge that he had forgotten the cause. iI a quest to avenge his wife, he had lost his daughter- the only part remaining of his beloved. She wished to curl up in a ball and shut out everything- the memories and hopes and wishes that would never come to fruition- and start over.

But, she found someone who she could look to, just to see some semblance of order. She could find him doing what needed to be done, exactly how it needed to be done, in what it needed to be done in, saying what should be said, and being exactly who he should be. She wished she could be as courageous as him- facing people day in and day out, and not cracking under the pressure of keeping everything the same. She wanted to be like him.


	16. Thanks

Thanks

He was her rock; why she cast an airbender in that role, she had no idea. He was flighty, and undependable, the exact opposite of what a sturdy, unbendable earthbender like her needed.

When he came up to her, and told her that it was over, that he had found someone else, someone willing to continue the airbender line with him, she remained calm. After all, they were friends before they became something more, and he would worry if she showed her grief.

After he left, with apologies and reassurances hovering in the air, she fell. She collapsed onto the ground. She had only done this twice before- once when her mother died and once when her daughter died. She was the only Beifong left, with no one left to comfort her.

But this time, instead of a person consoling her, it was the earth. The strong, sturdy, dependable rock. She could feel the heartbeat of the world pulsing through the stone- throbbing up through her blood into her heart. Her sobs matched the pace of the beats, tears washing the ground in sadness.

She couldn't be left alone again. When Toph died, the one person who she could always go to, she still had Tenzin and the baby growing inside of her. When the baby- she hadn't decided on a name yet- died, Tenzin comforted her, even though he was filled with the same pain that she felt. Now, when Tenzin was gone, she was alone.

In that moment, she gave thanks for her solitude. No one could ever hurt or leave her ever again. She rose off the ground, dusted off her metalbending uniform, and wiped all traces of tears off of her face. Walking to the door, she paused and thought about how the earth could never leave her. She gave thanks for that.

She couldn't have been more wrong. Years and years later, she was once again left alone. But this time, there was truly nobody there. Not even the earth.

**AN: So there was the next one. Please read and review.**


	17. Look

**AN: Here's the next one. Sorry for the wait. Please R&R.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

* * *

17. Look

There were the soft, caressing looks that made her heart flutter. There were the smoldering stares from across the room which made her want to jump on him and kiss him. There were the loving glances that showed her the depth of his love from his soul.

Right now, sitting in there living room, eating noodles with Mako, she couldn't decipher what was in his gaze. It wasn't any of the options she had run through in her head earlier, but it wasn't just a normal look which he could give to anyone. It was as if he was studying her.

"What?!"

He snapped out of the trance he was in.

"Huh..."

"You were looking at me funny."

"Was not."

"Was too."

Was not."

"Was too."

"Was...Oh, let's just stop. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't."

"What do you mean, maybe you were or maybe you weren't. What the hell does that mean?

"I don't know."

"You're the one that said it. You should know what it means."

" I don't have to."

"You should."

"Should not."

"Should too."

"Should not."

"Should too."

"Should not."

"Should...urrgh, we're at it again."

"At what?"

"At that!"

"That?"

"Oh, shut up."

"...?"

"Sorry."

"No, don't apologize. It wasn't your fault."

"But I should have understood."

"No, you shouldn't have."

"Yes, I should have."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes...oh crap! Korra, will you marry me?"

"...?"

"Well."

"...?"

"Oh man...I shouldn't have done this. I should have done it with roses and candles and stuff like they do in the stories. Crap! Mmph!"

"Sorry."

"For the kiss?"

"No...for not answering. But my answer is a yes. Yes. Yes a thousand times over."

He kissed her once again, but on the inside she was jumping in victory. She had finally figured out that _look._


	18. Summer

**AN: Sorry for the late update, and the shortness, but I have been super caught up in school preparations. Anyways, please R&R, and I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

18. Summer

She was stuck within the winter. Stuck in the dreary bleakness of the white hell that curses the world for months on end; chained and trapped and caged within boundaries of her own personal inferno, blazing cold and icy, freezing and emotionless.

He surrounded her, dragging her down every time she got close to peeling back the layer of ice, melting one piece of snow, breaking the surface of the frozen tundra. The stoic expression on his face as he punished stood out in her mind, emblazoned across her eyelids every time she attempted to rid herself of the purgatory she was sentenced to. Cruel and cold and uncaring, he remained the only obstacle left- the only challenge between her and sweet spring.

She was addicted, no doubt about it. If not, why would she suffer the pain of withdrawal; why would she be pulled back to him, his force more powerful than gravity itself? She was drawn to his brooding sense of justice, his way of hurting her without uttering a single word. She was rescued by the hands that suffocated her, fed by the poisonous fruit, kept alive by the very thing that would kill her.

He betrayed her, time and time again. There was no rescue, no savior to pop in when the situation was most dire - instead, she was forced to waste away, enslaved by the terrors within her own mind; those monsters that presented the one she loved as her jailer. He kept crushing her, breaking her heart and mind, ripping her into shreds so tiny she wouldn't be able to piece them back together.

But she would heal. She would escape the shadowlands of her jail, the white horrors of the world she designed within herself. She would blossom into spring, finally growing enough to break free. She would find her summer.


	19. Transformation

**AN: Hi everybody! Sorry for the long delay in posting, but I've just been so busy with school and everything that I had zero time for this. I will possibly get back to my other stories during Christmas break, but also maybe not, if I'm too busy studying for exams (blech). Anyways, this is unedited and written once, then never looked over again, but I hope you enjoy it. Please R&R!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.**

19. Transformation

5 years and she was back. 5 years since the eventful day on which Amon had robbed her of her bending. Slightly less than 5 years since the slightly less eventful day on which Katara had restored the aforementioned bending. 5 years since she had fled, alone, to the South Pole, desperately searching for a way to get her bending back.

It had been 5 years since she had been in Republic City. 5 years since walking on those streets, 5 years since visiting Narook's, 5 years since glimpsing the metallic glow of the probending arena over the skyline. 5 years since seeing Mako.

She had left him and Asami and Bolin and Tenzin and Iroh and gone down to the South Pole. She had toured the world – Omashu, the Fire Nation Capital, the North Pole, the swamp, Ba Sing Se, Ember Island, the Air Temples – and seen its sights. She had gained knowledge and experience and age, a combination not necessarily rendering her unknown to her previous friends. Or, at least she hoped, not so much previous, as still-friends friends.

She hadn't been able to deal with the conundrum facing her 5 years ago: her bending wrenched away from her, her only love infatuated with her best friend, her quasi-family in the middle of the rebirth of a culture, her (or one of her) idols in the same situation as she. She left and hadn't returned. She didn't want to know what _he_ would think of her.

The rest, she had kept in contact with. They were updated on her life, just as she was on theirs. But _him…_he didn't know what happened to her after her crack-of-dawn escape 5 years ago.

She was transformed now, though. She was different. She was whole and back and different and better and older and wiser and more Avatar-y and more Korra. Or, at least, what she thought Avatar/Korra/old/wise should be.

She walked across the street to Bolin's apartment. He was a successful pro-bending coach now. Although an injury had wiped out his flourishing career the previous year, he still kept up with the sport and with his friend.

Entering, she looked around for a glimpse of _him. _There he was, standing inconspicuously in a corner, his police chief uniform shining under the lights.

He looked different.

"Hi."


End file.
